The Corps Brings You Serenity
by pearsonm957
Summary: Firefly/Babylon 5: The Serenity gets sucked thorough the rip in space time in sector 14 and River gets hunted by a new enemy, the Psi Corps. Please review.
1. Chapter 1

I own neither Firefly nor Babylon 5 and as a student own nothing so please don't sue.

* * *

Serenity – Bridge.

Mal sighed as he walked on to the bridge and into a fire fight, River and Wash were playing dinosaurs, again. "Will you two stop it, we'll be landing in 10 minutes."

"24 minutes, 37.8 seconds" Countered River, sitting in the pilots chair giving Mal an exasperated look, "and everything is fine up here down there it is different, not safe."

"Is Trouble coming?" Mal asked nervously. Ever since Miranda River had being getting better, more normal, and she had gained more control over her predictions 3 weeks ago on Newhall she had spotted an ambush. She had more or less taken over the pilot's duties sine Wash's injury prevented him from flying, damn Mal thought but that had been close, Wash had stood up to give his victory dance and a reaver harpoon had smashed into him. He still had to get around on crutches but was alive.

"No, Persephone is safe, there is something up here."

"Revers?" The alliance had almost wiped them out, but splinter factions had spread out, mostly to the rim worlds but some border worlds too, Beaumonde had been attacked and Dyton Colony had been wiped out. The alliance had taken a beating too and were unable to respond.

"Not Reavers, but a ripple, a hole"

"Well that clears things up no end" replied an exasperated Mal.

Just as he was turning to leave the bridge to explain to Jayne that Persephone was no place for grenades when a blinding light filled the cockpit and when it had faded Persephone had vanished.

"What?" Asked Mal turning to River

"We Just fell down the hole" River Said with a frown.


	2. Chapter 2

Babylon 5 – C and C

Ivanova was happy, it was approaching the end of her shift and nothing had gone boom. No boom was good. Then "Commander we've got a ship in sector 14" said Lieutenant Cowin, one of the technicians looking at his screen.

"Honestly, it's been almost a month since sector 14 was declared off limits and why would a ship be out there anyway? It's almost 3 hours to the jump gate. They are probably trying to get close to the station undetected. Send Deltas 2 and 6 to escort them in and get me a comn line"

Serenity – Bridge.

"Wash, what in the hells just happened?" asked Mal, "it's just I'm a might concurred that Persephone just vanished"

"I..I..I don't known" Replied Wash, his normally dry wit failing to cover his panic as he checked his instruments. "We just lost the cortex and the nav system has no idea where we are. I can't even tell where the nearest planet is much less tell you where Persephone went"

"It's still where it was, nothing has changed for them. Nothing ever changes". River was looking out of the cockpit more interested than concerned. "But we shouldn't be here."

"Well" Snarked Wash "That clears that up but do you mind telling the non-genii where here is?" attempting to cover up his fear, but Mal reasoned if he could tell Wash was scared out of his mind, their psychic would know but he couldn't deny Wash his coping strategy and wished that he had one too.

River gave him a scathing look but before she could respond a beep from Wash's console cut her off and the comn started spouting a gibberish almost alien language".

"Huh" Said Mal, "well I think we'd better wake up the crew" and reaching for the intercom finished, "well I've got bad news and … more news. Persephone has vanished that's the bad news and the other news we are not alone. Now if anyone wants me I'll be getting a stiff drink."


	3. Chapter 3

Bridge - Serenity

"So" Simon said after Mal and Wash explained to the whole crew the situation, "aliens, have we actually seen them or are they just upside-down cows?"

"Damn it Doc but that," Mal pointed to the console which was still repeating its questions, "but does that sound like a human language and where the rutting hell is Persephone"

"But still" Simon countered, "aliens? That does seem farfetched"

"So says the man with the psychic sister who can kill us with her mind." Interjected Wash.

"Well I guess my man's a true believer now" said Zoe patting Wash affectionately on the head before turning to Mal, "But we still have to do something about it sir"

"Wait" said Jayne with his look of slowly coming to form an idea, "but in all the gorram movies the aliens speak English so just talk to them and they'll understand" and he beamed at them. Mal opened his mouth to say something cutting but closed it then said,

"Well I am ashamed to say at this particular point in time; I ain't got a better plan" Mal picked up the comn and spoke clearly and loudly, "I don't suppose you speak English, do you?" After a moment of silence the voice started again in English.

"This is Earth alliance station Babylon 5 to unidentified vessel you are in a restricted Zone we are sending a fighter escort to bring you to the station. Surrender and prepare to be boarded"

"Well" Mal said to the crew, "human you see. No aliens because that would be ridiculous. Jayne, Zoe, Simon go make sure everything we have that we shouldn't is hidden, Kaylee I need you in the engine room if we have to run. Go while I stall for time." As they hurried from the bridge Mal put on his best captain-y tone, "Babylon 5 this is… Captain Harbatkin of Serenity are we in a restricted zone? We didn't know that we were hit by a, um, solar flare, yes that's it, and our nav system had a slight malfunction, but…uh, everything's perfectly fine now. We're fine. We're all fine here now. How are you? We'll be leaving now, just point the way to the nearest planet."

"Well" said Wash as they waited for a response, "I really think you bluffed them there…"

* * *

Note: Susan was speaking in Interlac the common language in the B5 verse, but as English is the human language of trade the crew of Serenity will be fine when they reach B5


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for the brief stop in press but I am studding for exams and defending Firefly on online forums (that takes time, some people can't be reasoned with...) Anywhoo the next few chapters will be quick as they are just people coming to terms with the crossover.

* * *

Babylon 5 – Hangar bay 42.

The Crew of Serenity walked dejectedly along, they had not been arrested yet but the security finding out from Jayne's typical slip of the tongue that Mal had been lying to them about his name had not helped matters. After waiting for some time while the ship was search Mal Spoke up, "Not your typical purple bellies."

"No, Sir. How do you want to play it?" said Zoe. Mal Smiled, even here surrounded by troops and unarmed she was willing to back him up.

"For now we sit tight, we can still talk our way out of this yet"

"River… Don't do that." Simon was pleading with River who had just lain down on the bare metal floor of the hangar with her ear to the floor. They hadn't been able to hide them on the outside again as the two fighters that would have spotted them and the suits didn't have the air capacity to run for the 3 hour trip.

"It's different, alien. Not right, wrong. We shouldn't be here."

"Well little one" Said Mal as Simon coaxed her to stand up and a man in uniform walked towards them, "I am inclined to agree with you on that. Hey government men, how long are you going to keep some honest travellers?"

"That depends" said the man looking them up and down. "I'm Security chief Garibaldi and do I have honest travellers here. You identicard please, the real one."

"Look," replied Mal as he fished in a pocket for his card, "the papers never got updated and I didn't want to look suspicious." He handed over his ident card as Garibaldi readied the reader.

"Huh, you could have at least got fakes that looked real" dismissed Garibaldi handing it back without bothering to read it. It's clear that this is not an official Earth gov identicard." Mal was about to refute this when a real gorram alien walked in and began addressing Garibaldi.

"Garibaldi this is an outrage! I demand action! You have arrested and imprisoned a Narn unjustly! I am prepared to take this up before a full council session…"

He was cut off before his rant could reach full swing "G'Kar, G'Kar, G'Kar. I've talked to you about this before. Ta'wath assaulted several Centari citizens and Earthforce personal. Not to mention resisting, damage to property and trespass."

"Pah" snorted G'Kar, "He was provoked and baited…"

"Yes by a group of Centauri drinkers who are also arrested and waiting trial which I had a fun little chat with Londo about. There is nothing to do before the trial" He turned back to his captives who were all, except River, staring at G'Kar in variations of shock, awe and stunned disbelief.

"A real alien…"

"Hwhat…

"But How…"

"Simple" River explained, looking around with her your all dummies look. "Something here blew a hole through the space-time continuum and we dropped through like a stone through a wet paper bag…. I hate wet paper bags"

Everyone, including G'Kar, looked a River in stunned silence"

"OK" said Mal "now I need a drink and a lie down…"


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for the wait, but there are a few.

* * *

Babylon 5 – Sinclair's office.

"Well" said Commander Sinclair "is there any other business?" He Garibaldi and Susan were having their usual meeting to discuss anything important. It had been a long day fraught with high tension negotiations between the Narn and the Vree over trade routes and the Drazi and the Brakiri over a minor border dispute.

"Well" said Garibaldi "Londo wants to remind you that 'The barbarian Narns' have caused an incident" He briefly imitated Londo's voice when he said barbarian. "It's still the same brawl. You're going to have to solve it personally, Londo and G'Kar insist ."

"Well, who started it?"

"From witness reports it seems to the Narn threw the first punch but the Centarui started the insults."

"Make them pay half of the damages each and warn them that if anything like this happens again they will be banned from re-entry to Babylon 5 for 6 months."

"Good, I can't wait to see Lando and G'Kar's faces. Well then that just leaves our travellers from another world."

"Ah yes," Said the commander "What is happening with that?"

"Well not much at the moment, we'll need to keep them here for a week or so to clear up the paperwork."

"There's paperwork for people entering the universe from an alternate dimension?" Asked Susan incredulously.

"Well not as such, but bureaucrats are involved which means there is paperwork somewhere. This is earth-gov, are you even surprised?"

"Well" Said the commander, "nothing we can do but keep them here. Good night"

Michael and Susan got up saying their good nights. The commander turned back to his desk. Michael had got one thing right, there was always paperwork.


	6. Chapter 6

The next couple are just short ones of the crew coping. The main story will begin Soon.

* * *

Babylon 5 – Red Sector

Jayne sat at one end of the long bar nursing a large drink drowning his sorrows. It was all right for most of the other. The Doc and moon brain were happy that they were beyond the reach of the government, Kaylee was happy with the Doc and Zoe and Wash had each other. Mal had no home to go back too whilst Inara, well even Jayne could see the looks she and Mal were exchanging. Anyway she was a beautiful, educated and charming woman; she could cope better in this strange place than Jayne. Jayne took a huge swig. The liquor wasn't half bad but he hardly tasted it. He'd had a home and family. Half his cut of jobs went back to Ma Radiant Cobb and whilst Mattie had recovered from the Damp lung it would be difficult without his payments but the jelly brain said there was no way home. Jayne turned his thoughts to more practical issues now as he finished his drink and ordered another.

He considered leaving the crew, but they had grown on him. He hated to admit it but he was no fond of them all, even River and possibly the Doc too. He quickly thought around and yes, he could stick with them as it made more sense, at least until he figured out how this place worked and he knew more. Who the movers and shakers were, who would need his brand of semi-dumb muscle. Who knew, with no criminal record here he could even go legit and work private security. Pleased that he could almost convince himself that he could still be willing to cut and run from the crew he finished the second glass and rapped the bar top for a third. Taking it he raised a silent toast to Sheppard Book, wondering if the heaven here was the same as where he had come from and asked him to look after his family. He gulped down the third drink, paid with from the small amount of money that the crew had been given to survive and left the Bar.

* * *

Yes his mom's name is Radiant Cobb and he has a relation called Mattie.


	7. Chapter 7

Babylon 5 – Casino

At another Bar Mal sat brooding. He sipped at his drink and looked around the casino. He was wearing his browncoat it a bar that alliance officers were drinking in without being challenged. Mal didn't like that; one of his constants was that he could provoke a fight just by sitting down wearing his coat. It was another universal constant that had been upset in recent days. The commander that he had been introduced to on his arrival sat down next to him looking pensive. He saw Mal and smiled. "How are you and your Crew settling in?"

"Well enough" Mal replied, a little tersely. "But it is a might unsettling not to be having a brawl by this time today" He looked at the commander's questioning look. He wasn't a bad man and was good at listing. He made you feel important, no wonder they had assigned him to a diplomatic station. "Unification day. I don't rightly know what date it is here, but back home its Unification day, the day the Browncoats lost the war. I don't know why but it seems right to celebrate my comrades by giving a purple belly a black eye or two."

"Well our alliance isn't like yours."

"Isn't it?" Challenged Mal, "I've seen the news on the cortex, ISN whatever you call it. Trouble's brewing on Mars. It's got the same feel that there was before I signed on with the independents. There's going to be violence before long, no matter how 'benevolent' your alliance people on the outsides ain't too fond of being told what to do."

"I think you could be right about the violence but I hope it won't come to that. If it does are you going to help them?"

"Nah," Mal drained his cup "It's not my fight, besides I don't want to changes this universe or any universe. Just lookin' to survive in them".

* * *

Mal is talking before voice in the wilderness part 1 which features the Mars uprising.


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry for the delays, I am revising for exams so there is going to be zero consistency in updates, I will when I can.

* * *

Babylon 5 – The Zócalo

Commander Sinclair Walked down the Zócalo, exchanging a few words with security staff and the permanent store owners. He liked the Zócalo it was always busy, often with a new type of alien. He could tell that someone was following and turning saw the teenager from Serenity was there. She had come up in the conversations with the crew over their status, she had been described to him as some sort of savant. Gifted but with some sort of mental illness. The doctor had been evasive over what it was exactly, but Sinclair knew the human mind was a strange thing and was often beyond qualification. "Hello, how are you settling in here?" His tone was friendly, but slower and clearer than he would normally speak. He was rewarded by a scathing look that clearly said don't patronise me. Sinclair coughed and said more normally "Is everything all right?"

"Yes, the gravity is slightly stronger than most places I've been and there sadness coming here. Sadness follows you like it follows Mal. Latin for Bad."

Sinclair nodded, "I've just met your captain again, we've both had similar experiences in war, I lost a lot of friends during the battle of the line."

River shook her head, "Mal is sad because he lost his cause and his faith. That hurt him more than losing his comrades. He searches for new causes to fight for."

Sinclair thought about this and he realised that it was true. Mal had been like him, a soldier. He had accepted death but he had lost the war. Sinclair realised he was lucky never to have been in Mal situation. If Earthforce had lost the war against the Minbari he would have been dead. He would not have seen everything he ever risked his life for destroyed.

"So, What did I lose?" He asked, more out of politeness than anything else.

"That is for you to find out." River smiled and it was uncanny. "There is a hole in your mind." With that she turned and walked away.

Sinclair was troubled but didn't show it. He had lost his some memories of the battle of the line and he had once had those words spat at him by a dying Minbari. An old insult indeed. He carried on walking thinking that he needed to find out more about River Tam.


	9. Chapter 9

Hello! Sorry for the massive gaps in between updates. First I had exams, then I had to do everything at home while my sister revised for her medical school exams. Then I had to redo some course work essays (a 1500, 1800 and two 2500 word-ers) and then some Gypsies stole the telephone and internet cables leading into my village which has taken weeks to repair (and is still not done). However now I have nearly finished my essays so hopefully more chapters (all the coping ones) will be complete soon and the main story can begin. Thanks for reading and please review!

* * *

Serenity – Engine Room

Kaylee was working on the engines. Whilst Mal and the Earthforce people tried to straighten out what would happen to them all Kaylee needed something to do and Serenity always needed something tuned, replaced or simply bodged. 'Sides it help her to think and right now she was thinking about Simon. She'd been sweet on him since he came on board and had guessed that he thought the same way about her. Ever since the events on Miranda they had been going steady and it was nice to see him relax more. River was better so they had more time together but now he was quieter all the time. Kaylee was worried for him as she un screwed the cover over a hydraulic linkage assembly to see why it was sticking. She hoped that he would be feeling better soon and willing talk over whatever was troubling him. Kaylee was sure that he was the one and maybe he was just working up the nerve to ask her a very important question, after all it had taken a near death experience at the hands of a psychotic, cannibalistic horde of the most evil men in the galaxy for him to even ask her out. As she started to clean and grease the components that needed it she resigned her self that he would talk when he was ready.


	10. Chapter 10

Mal and Inara are meant for each other, but he hates her job. What better way to ship them than stop her from being a companion?

* * *

Babylon 5 – Traveller Information desk

Inara entered the Information bureau looking for the companion guild's office. Surely an outpost as large as this one would have some form of guild representation, even some planets on the outer rim were starting to open official guild outposts as the wealth some of the region increased and they desperately desired an increase in social status. The Guild was the easiest way to achieve this even if it was very expensive. The information terminals were touch screen and very similar to the cortex. Inara first searched generally for Companions and then, finding nothing spread the search wider. The places she was finding were for basic escort services, barley tolerated and filled with companion rejects back where she was from. Finally she decided to ask someone at the main desk.

Serenity – Kitchen.

Mal entered from the cargo bay and spotted Inara sitting at the table with one of her expensive and hard to obtain bottles and a glass. Never one to turn down a free drink, free for him any ways Mal picked up a glass walked over, sat down next to her and poured himself a generous measure. Inara looked up but did not comment on his blatant theft and intrusion on her personal property. This was a sure sign that something was wrong.

"Hey" he said, "why the long face?" He noticed that her eyes were red rimmed. She had been crying. Something was defiantly wrong and that was for damn sure.

"There are no companions here. No guild to join, just unskilled work as posing as a date for someone rich who can't get his own. The kind of Guild back home wouldn't be legal here, except for the centauri."

"What's the problem with them? They look human enough to me, exept for the wacky hairdos."

"Well they have different… They're not the same…"

"Ah" Mal wanted to cut that conversation short, he'd had the talk once on the ranch and that was enough. He knew that not being able to work would hit her hard. "However" he said tentatively "I may be able to employ you." She gave him a cold, withering look. "No, no oh god NO. Not like that. Look here we have no underworld contacts or criminal records. A chance to start fresh. We need work because there is nothing free, so I need someone who looks glamorous to try and get us some honest work from honest people and you look the part more than me. Your pay will be commission and you current room. Sound fair?"

"Yes" She said, "but the shuttle is still mine"

"Oh no. Its mine again like every other part of my boat." He stood up walking out "I can go anywhere I like on my boat. 10% commission sound good?"

"It's a start. You're a better man than you think"

"Just looking out for the bottom line. Who else would hire my shuttle?" He lied


	11. Chapter 11

Serenity – Medical Bay

Simon was in the medical bay cleaning. He had just given River a check-up. He looked up as Zoë came in.

"Hey Doc, you got a moment?"

"Sure, just making work anyway. What's the problem?"

"I think I've caught something. I'm tired all the time and I was sick this morning."

Simon checked her temperature.

"Well you have a temperature, but it's not a fever. Is this the first time you've been sick in the morning?"

"Well it was yesterday and today, but I thought it was food poising. Jayne was cooking that night."

Simon shuddered remembering the blacked mess that Jayne had served. With being in port all the time they had taken advantage and bought fresh produce with the credits that Earth-gov had given them. Sometimes he missed the plain ration bars that tasted of nothing but cardboard and he really missed Book, who with his spices could turn any meal into a feast.

"Well I'll take some blood and run a few tests". He said picking up a needle. Come back in a few hours, I'll have the results by then."

Three hours later Zoë saw Simon again. It was her turn to cook at it would probably be edible tonight.

"Zoë, I need to talk to you."

"Is it serious doc?"

"Well there is no easy way to say this so I'll just spit it out. Your Pregnant."

* * *

I will be taking suggestions for the name of the baby (I have one but if a good one is suggested I will take that)


	12. Chapter 12

Babylon 5 –med-lab one

"So you're a doctor?" Franklin was just finishing up case notes for a Centari with chronic heart problems.

"Yes" said Simon, "Well I mean I am in another universe, but I don't have a medical degree from a school that would be recognised here but it was the best and I was in the top 3%" Simon proffered his documentation hopefully.

"Well" said Franklin flipping through the certificates, "This seems to be in order, but like you say, it won't be recognised. I am afraid that if you want a medical degree you'll have to go through medical school again. I could help you get in if you like, and even get you a grade one licence, human medicine only. Do you have any xeno-biological experience? "

Simon shook his head, "No, the only 'alien' I ever saw before was a cow in formaldehyde. I didn't even think that aliens existed until about a week ago."

"Well, I should be easy enough for me to get you to get a medical license for humans, but most of the aliens' biology are very different. Even the Centari who look very human are very different." He indicated the scan of the Centari whose case he was finishing. Simon observed it closely for some time.

"No kidneys" He said finally "Or major blood vessels in the wrist. But two hearts?"

"Yes, the right heart just pumps, the left acts like a kidney and filters the blood. And this isn't even getting into the different biochemistries or specialised cells."

Simon didn't react for a while. He had always considered himself as a doctor. It was his one driving ambition when he was growing up, all he wanted to be. Even when his concern for River had prevented him from being a surgeon he had been secretly glad that he had managed to get work as a ship's doctor. When he had first gone on the run he had worried that he would have to find some other line of work that did not have stringent checks on its practitioners. Now it seemed that that would be all gone, again.

"Well" he said "I'll just have learn it all then."


	13. Chapter 13

Serenity – Cockpit

Wash was tired. Ever since he had almost died he had always been tired. Doc Simon had done his best and now so had Franklin but he still hurt. Zoe came into the cockpit and gave him a kiss on the head.

"Hey babe" He said. "What yah doing up here. I thought you and the captain were looking for work."

"Inara is helping him for now. We need to talk"

"Oh, that doesn't sound too good"

"No dear, it is good. We're going to have a baby."

"Wow"

They sat in silence for some time.

"I've got a name." Wash said finally.

"What?"

"Hoban Jr."

"and if it's a girl?"

"Still Hoban Jr."

"You just want to be cruel. I'm not letting you call our baby Hoban Jr."

"Why? My parents called me Hoban."

"Yes dear and you hate that name."

They sat in silence again.

"Wow, just wow" said Wash then, "I've got another name."

"No"

"but…"

"No, we'll make the decisions together, but nothing silly."

"I love you"

"Love you too."


	14. Chapter 14

Serenity – Cargo bay

The crew had all gathered.

"Well" said Mal, "I think someone should say a few words."

"He was the best preacher I ever knew. He knew that folks could do bad things and still be good." Said Jayne.

"He was a good shot too." Added Zoe "Surprisingly so"

"He overcame his darkness" Said River. All the crew looked at her, but she was staring off into space and did not seem to notice them. The crew remained silent for a minute.

"Well" Said Mal clearing his throat to indicate that he felt the appropriate amount of time had passed. "We all know that we would not be here if not for Book, even if he was suborn, so…" He moved to the flowing mule and whipped off the tarp that was covering it. In a neat hand Kaylee had written Derrial Book on the hull.

"Not his real name." Said River. No one knew what to say to her. Ever since they had come here she was getting more and more difficult, as if something as big as Miranda was hanging over them, but only she could see it.


	15. Chapter 15

Babylon 5 Londo Molorai's Quarters.

"And Vir, make sure that it is written exactly as I dictated this time, Yes. No paraphrasing or translating"

"But Londo, won't it cause offence?"

"Of course it will! Have I taught you noting about diplomacy. We will talk tough, make them reconsider. This message will make the Gaim think that we will use military force and back down so we get the Quantium-40 mines without a fight."

"But what if they don't back down?"

"Then we have to fight a long and costly war, so make sure that they do back down. I'm going to the casino. All this diplomacy makes my head ache and I need a drink."

"Wait, there is one more thing we have to do. The meeting with the human captain."

"Well hurry it up."

As Vir was about to say that the captain was not there the door chimed.

"YES, come in." Londo barked. Mal and Inara entered looking around at the alien décor. "You are the one from another dimension?"

"Yes"

"Well I have a problem and I think you can be the solution. No one knows anything about you. Can you be trusted to move small but technically illegal cargo and persons?"

"Well I don't ask questions and I don't know what constitutes illegal here."

"Ha, good answer. See Vir, I told you that we could find someone."

"Well what do you need?"

"We have a… non official diplomatic centre on the Drazi homeworld."

"A group of people gathering the sights and sounds."

"You mean spies." Said Inara.

"Yes my dear" said Londo "If you must be so blunt. Everyone does it. We watch all watch each other, but one of them has drawn attention to himself and needs to leave in as soon as possible and resupply the rest of his friends."

"What do you need from us then?" asked Mal

"What I need is for someone to take in a small crate of cargo, 6 by 8 feet and 4 of your earth feet high without alerting the authorities and leave with a certain Centauri again without drawing undue attention."

"I can do that. But…"

"I don't like buts except when on a beautiful dancer. What is it?"

"To avoid suspicion we'll need some more legitimate cargo to fill up the hold so we don't look out of the ordinary."

"You want me to pay to fill you cargo hold?"

"Both ways yes. Merely to complete the disguise."

Londo chuckled. "I like your style captain Reynolds. Consider it done."

"Good now let's talk price."

It the end it took all Inara and Vir's diplomacy to smooth out the rougher negotiation tactics of Mal and Londo. In the end the two parties agreed on 25,000 credits for the official cargo and an additional 30,000 for the real cargo.

"Well then" said Mal as he and Inara got up to leave. "We'd better get to it."

"Yes, Yes, Vir sort out the details. I have long overdue drink to find."


	16. Chapter 16

Serenity – Near the Drazi homeworld

The cargo bay was bustling with activity. Jayne, Kaylee and Simon under Zoe's supervision were loading the Mule with the official cargo for inspection, so it covered the Centauri container. Molari had used contacts in a human shipping firm to give the contract to Mal who was now in charge of several thousand copies of the latest human blockbusters as well as other small luxury items, Mal was on the bridge with River and Wash, partly to look captainy, partly to keep an eye on River who was bringing them into land, but mostly to avoid having to get his hands dirty lifting crates. There were perks to being captain after all, but Zoe had a stare that could make him shiver.

A voice in interlac blurted from the radio. Mal had been trying to learn, but before he could embarrass himself River replied fluently.

"What did they say?" Mal asked.

"They just gave use a docking pad to use."

"Oh. Carry on then."

River rolled her eyes. Mal's need to appear in charge all the time, even if he had little understanding of the situation was amazing. It was sometimes difficult to remember that he was more intelligent and dangerous than he looked, even if he was a little book dumb. River entered atmo and moved over the capital and down to the docks and the landing pad that the Drazi had given her. As soon as they touched down Mal was in motion moving to the cargo hold.

"Jayne, Simon you're with me taking the cargo to the warehouse. Zoe stay here and wait for our guest. The cargo doors opened and revealed two Drazi inspectors. "Ah. River! Get down here!"

Once River had arrived the inspection started. The bored Drazi had a quick skim of the manifest and ran sensors over the cargo. Mal held his breath. He knew how sensors worked on the rim and even the core, but here he was flying blind. Nothing beeped so he assumed that the Centauri container was as well shielded as Mollari. Mal, Simon and Jayne were just returning from the warehouse as the Centauri agent arrived, with more cargo posing as a merchant. As they broke atmo Mal said "Wow. It went completely to plan."

"Huh" Jayne scoffed. "First time for everything."

"Some of my plans work."

"Yeah, but most of them are just see how it goes."

"and they work. Most of the time. Some of the time. River, set course for Babylon 5."


	17. Chapter 17

Babylon 5 – The Zoccalo

"Well then, Jayne and I will go and get the pay day from Mollari. You all have fun without me." Said Mal. Everything had gone smoothly and despite his constant pleas to whatever force ran the universe things going smoothly bothered Mal. He knew his luck was terrible; it was something he counted on. The way his life had gone he thought he would not get paid so Jayne was a better choice for after the job picking up the rest of the payment meetings. He tended to discourage defaulters. As he left Inara and Kaylee went with Zoe to shop for clothes for her pregnancy whilst Wash headed back to the ship claiming that shopping bored him and his back was acting up. Simon turned around, thinking that he would go to medlab. During the time when Franklin was helping to confirm their stories he had gained a rapport with the doctor and to see if he had talked to some of his colleges about getting a medical licence for him. However River was standing in his way.

"What is it Mei-Mei?"

River didn't say anything but grabbed his hand and lead him away from the turbolift.

Over the other side Garibaldi was talking with one of his men and an Abbai shopkeeper about some youths who she suspected of taking some of her merchandise. He turned when his officer pointed.

"Sir!"

Garibaldi turned as a man with long ginger hair and a scruffy beard wearing ragged sleeveless green coat with blood in the corner of his mouth. He staggered towards Garibaldi clutching at a stab wound in his side.

"Alert Medbay." Garibali rushed forwards to catch the man as he collapsed. "Petrov! Petrov what happened?"

"You gotta stop them." Petrov's voice was weak. "They're gonna kill him…They're gonna kill…" He started to faint.

"There're gonna kill who? Petrov! Petrov!" But he was already unconscious.

"Out of the way!". It was Simon. He had seen the crowd gathering and River had said,

"Help him."

"I'm a doctor move." He said to Garibaldi. As Garibaldi moved, Simon started to assess the situation. He tore Petrov's shirt to get a better look at the wound. "It hit the artery. He's going into shock." Simon looked around for anything that could help him. He whipped out a handkerchief that Kaylee had gotten him from when the first arrived on Babylon 5 made from a Minbari fabric. It was clean and absorbent, good enough for an emergency dressing. He pushed it onto the wound and shouted at Garibaldi, who was checking on the ETA of the crash team, "keep pressure on it!". He rushed to a store selling jackets at grabbed one.

"Hey!" the shopkeeper said in protest. Simon started to wrap Petrov in it saying,

"He is going into shock from blood loss. We need to keep him warm." Turning to Garibaldi, "How long?"

"Five minutes till Franklin gets here."

"No good." Simon took over at his makeshift dressing and taking out a protein bar. Unwrapping it he removed his hankerchief, placed the foil over the wound and then replaced the dressing. "Got to stop air getting in there. I think it hit the lung" Simon stayed like that until Franklin arrived with his trauma team take him away to Medlab.

Babylon 5 – Medlab one

"His name is Stephen Petrov. He's a lurker down in Brown 2. I picked him up about six months ago for petty theft. He's not a bad guy, just someone who got in over his head with the wrong people. I helped him out and he wanted to repay the favour. Since then he's been working for me as an informant in downbelow." Garibaldi was talking to Sinclair and Ivanova as they waited for Franklin to tell them how surgery was going. Petrov had arrived with a collapsed lung, nicked artery and massive blood loss. Franking had authorised an emergency transfusion, sealed and re-inflated the lung. Now they were just waiting to see if he and his team could repair the damage.

"Was he working on anything when he was attacked?" said Ivanova.

"No. I hadn't heard from him in almost two weeks." Franklin emerged from surgery.

"It's okay. He is very critical from blood loss, but he just pulled though. It will be touch and go for the next couple of days but he'll live."

"Good. He was just starting to get it together, straighten out his life. It must have been something really big to make him come all that way, hurting like that. Last thing he said to me was 'They're gonna kill him'."

"Kill who?" Said Sinclair.

"I don't know, but when he wakes up I'll ask him.

"He won't be awake for several days. He suffered severe blood loss. He won't be talking to anyone for a while. It's possible that the shock gave him retrograde amnesia. He had a lump on the back of his head, I almost missed it, but doctor Tam noticed blood in his hair."

"Then I'll find out another way. Someone on this station will know something."


	18. Chapter 18

Babylon 5 – The park

Mal and Jayne walked through the park. Mal was intrigued by the large, open space as no space station that he had ever been on had had anything like it. Jayne was more practical.

"Why are we meeting him here?"

"Because Jayne, Mollari already has an appointment here. He arranged to see us afterwards."

The two of them spotted Mollari. His Purple coat clashed with and stood out against the plants behind him. He was talking to a man in a grey suit jacket and black shirt. As they approached the man turned to leave. Mollari called him back and as they got closer they heard the final words of the exchange.

"…a favour, that's all."

As he turned and left for good this time Mal moved past him to stand in front of Mollari, Jayne just behind him looking intimidating. Mal didn't like it, he got a very bad feeling form Mollari's associate. Mal didn't say anything at first meaning to let Mollari make the first move but the ambassador just stood there a concerned look on his face.

"Ambassador?"

"Yes, what? Oh. Mister Reynolds. I have been informed by our intelligence agency that everything went smoothly."

"Of course. With us smooth is part of the deal." He tried to ignore the cough from behind him that disguised a snigger. "Now there is only the matter of our payment."

"Yes. I'll have Vir transfer it immediately." He still looked pensive.

"Anything I can help with?" Mal only asked to see if he could get another deal. Mollari could be a very profitable contact."

"No. Just routine business."

"All right then. Goodbye Ambassador."

Mal and Jane left in one direction, Mollari in the other. As they walked away Jayne asked "Since when have our jobs ever gone smooth."

"Jayne, be quiet. It suits you better and run along to see Inara. Ask her to start looking at new clients."

"But we already got ourselves a nice fat payoff and standing deal with an ambassador."

"Yeah, well A. I'm captain. B. Having more than one client never hurt and C. I get a bad felling about the man talking to him before us. He looks like he could bring the ambassador crashing down. I don't want us caught in the ripples and dragged under."


	19. Chapter 19

Hi, sorry it has been such a long time. My reasons are simple:

1. I'm Lazy

2. It was my birthday/holiday thus I didn't feel like doing too much.

3. I'm Lazy.

4. I was busy at work.

5. A had a Red vs Blue Marathon.

6. I needed to research so had to watch Firefly and 2 seasons of B5 to get the dialogue right

7. I'm Lazy.

Hopefully now will be able to resume something like a short time between updates so thanks for reading and please review.

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Babylon 5 – The Zocalo Bar

Sinclair sat at the bar looking around. The holiday mood had evaporated the New Year's decorations were being taken down. On the screens the news was being looped, with Clark providing being sworn in and providing the usual platitudes for these circumstances. Captain Renoylds was in the seat next to him, nursing a drink and watching River who was wandering the Zocalo looking at the stalls curiously. Finally Mal broke the silence.

"Was he really that good a man?"

"Yes. Santiago believed in the future and he wasn't willing to compromise lives for a better one."

"Rare in a politician."

"You don't believe in politics."

"I don't believe in governments. Always step on the little guy. The browncoat parliament and politicians were no better."

They sat in more uncomfortable silence. Mal noticed how broken the Commander looked. He hadn't shaved, his collar was undone, his shoulders slumped and his eyes, staring into the distance were red rimed from tiredness.

"Any word on Mr. G?" Mal asked. He'd found that, despite his best intentions, that he actually liked the security officer even with his competence and incorruptibility. That combination made his very presence a risk, but his humour had made even routine cargo inspections bearable.

"No, he's still in surgery. Franklin still has no idea he's stable but weak, very weak."

The silence returned.

Both men turned at the sound of strange breathing. An alien was there. He was covered in a strange suit with blinking lights over it. It inclined its head in a gesture of respect towards the commander who looked at it with a bemused expression.

"And so it begins. You have forgotten something."

The commander's face changed as he ran through everything with a panicky lost look that snapped into sharp focus.

"Delenn!"

The commander rushed off without another word or backwards glance, everything else forgotten. Mal considered the alien and what he knew. Delenn was one of the ambassadors and he thought this one must be some sort of aide sent to remind the commander of a missed meeting. However the looks of awe, fear, respect and curiosity from the onlookers said different. The alien anyway moved away without talking to Mal, fine by him. He went back to his drink. After taking a long draft he rose and turned around. He was ready to head back to Serenity which meant that River was ready to head back to Serenity. He stopped. River and the alien were in a corridor and only Mal could see them. They stood facing each other, and then inclined their heads to one side. Mal rushed over.

"Everything all right?" He asked.

"Yes." The alien looked at Mal, the eye lens contracting and dilating. It didn't seem to think that it needed to say or do anything else.

"Who are you?" Mal asked, trying to stay as polite as he could.

"Kosh." Again nothing else was for-coming.

"What do you want?"

"Never ask that question." For the first time Mal got a reaction and for the first time he wasn't happy to have provoked one. Mal liked angry people. They made mistakes that he could exploit. The tone didn't change, but the eye hole narrowed and stayed narrowed giving him the feeling that he was being scrutinised on a molecular level. The alien, Kosh, turned and left. Mal opened his mouth to talk to River, but received a slap to the back of the head before he could turn.

"You interrupted us."

"And just what were you doing?"

"Kosh was singing."

Mal raised an eye but didn't say anything on that rather peculiar answer. Instead he changed the topic. "Time to go little one."

Together they left the zocalo and a man watched them. A man in a grey suit who slipped back into the shadows.


	20. Chapter 20

Hi, yes its been a long time. Sorry. I've had the basic story in my head for a long time and have some of the later chapters where badass things happen all written. However linking them up has been problematic. Sorry. I hope that soon I will get in the habit of regular updates. Please review!

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Serenity - Ikarran system

After the death of the president Inara had found a legitimate cargo run to an archaeological dig on some planet, Ikarra. It was just some supplies, new tools. A fairly standard transfer. The team on planet was small which meant that Serenity was large enough for all their wants. Mal could tell that the IPX rep who contacted him was glad to have found him. Most captains were wary of going to the 'rim'. In his experience places known as the rim were rough, but so long as you were careful they were not normally fatal. Still he would be happy when he got back to Babylon 5. The place was now the base of operations for Serenity Ltd. As a bastion of trade it made sense to headquarter there, and after a week and a half the paperwork should have been processed. With the profits from this run Mal intended to rent office space, noting fancy just enough to give him an air of respectability. Inara had initially wanted to take the job of managing the office, but Mal didn't want her too. Officially he claimed that she, who had taken to interlac and a few other languages better than everyone (except River) would be needed as public relations, translator and negotiate on ship. As he pointed out he trusted River, but if she decided that she didn't want to talk or went off on a tangent they would be left without anyone to speak the language. Unofficially he didn't want to lose her again. Life on Serenity had become strained after she and the preacher left. They both focused him, his anger and Mal didn't want to go back to lashing out at his crew, his family. Also he remembered when the operative had used her as bait. He hadn't wanted to admit it to her, or even himself, but he couldn't imagine living without her. So he intended to keep her safe. He also guessed that Zoe and River knew why he was doing what he was doing. Zoe kept excusing herself from the room whenever Mal and Inara were together and finding reasons to make everyone else leave as well. River just rolled her eyes at both of them. Was that a good sign? Did that mean Inara felt the same? Mal had never really asked how strong, or accurate here telepathy was.

Babylon 5 – Entrance Lounge

The crew of Serenity exited into the costoms line, avoiding a hurrying Narn, Mal thought he was the ambassador or some other big fish. It was strange that he had no aides or baggage but he was in a hurry and rushed through customs. As the crew followed him Mal turned to give his orders. "Kaylee, Wash I want Serenity fuelled and ready, Zoe, Jayne unload the cargo and get it to the IPX rep." The supply run had netted to an offer to bring some artefacts back. The B5 security seemed mighty interested in those but Mal had only been hired to get the crates into quarantine. Beyond that the crew had no interest in them. Jayne had poked at them to see if he could find anything valuable but it was just statues. "Inara, you come with me to see our office."

"And us…?" Simon asked.

"You" Mal pointed at Simon, "keep her out of trouble and you" he shifted his finger to River, "stay out of trouble." River almost stuck out her tongue, but consented herself with a resigned sigh and nod.

As the rest of the crew walked away about their various tasks Simon turned to River, "So Mei-Mei where to you want to drag me to day?" When they had been on the station before River had always delighted in exploring. Mostly it was the Zocalo, but she had taken various chaperones to the alien sector, down below and many other places of the beaten track.

"Nowhere but you want to go to see Doctor Franklin." Simon didn't bother disputing this so he instead got in line to pass though customs.


End file.
